Is it 'man flu'? Is it 'woman flu'? The lowdown on influenza

Deborah Gough

Everybody seems sick at the moment, is the flu hitting harder than usual?

Yes. The number of cases of diagnosed influenza has increased sharply this year. There are nearly 21,000 cases diagnosed - double the number at the same time last year, says the Influenza Specialist Group, a group of scientific and medical specialists with an interest in the virus.

Is it flu or 'man flu'?

Many people confuse the common cold with influenza, but influenza is usually much more severe and can lead to hospitalisation and death.

If it is flu you will have muscular aches, a fever and a strong headache, although cold sufferers can also have a headache caused by sinus congestion

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Other symptoms include a dry cough, tiredness or extreme exhaustion, headaches and sore throat. Children can also be listless and suffer vomiting and diarrhoea.

That's it! So I should be moving north to escape the flu and protect myself?

Wrong: Sunny Queensland has the highest number of confirmed cases with 5959 positive tests for the virus, says the flu group's chairman Dr Alan Hampson.

Your GP can test you by using a nasal or throat swab, but about 80 per cent of GPs are right when they say they think you have influenza.

There are different kinds of flu, what kind have I got?

The dreaded Swine flu, or H1N1, which knocked the country for six in 2009, is the most common influenza virus type, the flu group says.

There is also a second flu sweeping through NSW, particularly in nursing homes, known as H3N2.

This sounds serious. How do you get the flu?

When an infected person coughs or sneezes, small droplets containing the virus get into the air. If you are nearby - pow! You breathe it in and you've got your own lurgy to pass around to your friends, and to their friends, and to their friends' friends. You get the picture.

I don't know anyone who has it, I'm safe...

Er... no. The influenza virus can survive more than eight hours on hard surfaces - that's traffic light buttons, telephone handsets, the photocopier or the handle of a supermarket trolley. Touch the contaminated surface and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes transfers the virus into your body.

Soft surfaces do not hold the virus as long. So if you don't have a tissue, sneeze or cough into the crook of your elbow. The virus doesn't last as long there and you are unlikely to be handling surfaces with your elbow.

I think I have flu, what do I do?

Get to your GP - fast. Your GP may prescribe anti-viral medication, to be swallowed or inhaled, but it needs to be taken in the first 48 hours to have much impact. It won't stop the infection but will reduce the symptoms in most cases.

Dr Hampson says you can take analgesics such as pain killers but do not push ahead just because you have taken something to mask your symptoms. You could make symptoms drag on.

Who is getting sick?

Children, mostly. Between 20 and 50 per cent of children are likely to contract the flu each season. About 15 per cent of adults are likely to contract it, with women 25 per cent more likely than men to contract the flu.

Don't tell me there's 'woman flu'.

Actually, it appears so. Apparently there is evidence that female hormones interact with the virus to make symptoms more severe, says Dr Hampson. There is also evidence that up to 60 per cent more women than men are diagnosed with flu.

Dr Hampson says women nursing sick children tend to get the virus from their children, and many soldier on when they really need bed rest. Many women end up in hospital, Dr Hampson says. Women are also less likely to be vaccinated.

Isn't flu something that mainly affects the elderly?

Nope. The median age of patients admitted to hospital for the flu is 42 years.

'‘Many of those seriously affected are not elderly people. They are regular working people,’’ Dr Hampson says.

Surely you are exaggerating the impact?

Not really. There are 1500-3500 deaths annually from influenza. That's more than the national road toll.

Since the 1800s research has found that an influenza outbreak can aggravate existing conditions such as heart attacks and stroke. A spike in flu often coincides with spikes in other conditions, Dr Hampson says.

What is the burden on the health system?

• 18,000 extra hospitalisations

• 300,000 extra GP visits

I had that vaccine last year and got the flu three times

The vaccine is effective in 80 per cent of cases, and scientists are working on a vaccine that is 100 per cent effective.

Yes, you can still get influenza at some point during the flu season but not within days of being vaccinated. ''That's not possible,'' Dr Hampson says.

He also says it isn't possible to get influenza three times in a season. Sorry, but you've just had some pretty bad colds.

It's August, it's too late for this flu season, but I'm definitely getting a flu shot next year.

Actually it's not too late, but the window for vaccination is closing.

‘‘But don’t put it off. The window is rapidly closing because your body needs time to respond to the vaccine,’’ says Dr Hampson.

And it is free for pregnant women, those aged over 65 years, Indigenous Australians 15 years or older, and children and adults with underlying medical conditions.

‘‘With vaccination, you are protecting yourself and those around you from serious illness," Dr Hampson says.